Charged particle source, charged particle systems and methods of operating charged particle systems and sources can be used for various applications including measuring or identifying sample properties or for sample modification. A charged particle source typically produces a beam of charged particles that can be directed by components of a charged particle beam system to be incident on a sample. By detecting interaction products of the charged particle beam with the sample images of a sample can be generated or properties of the sample can be identified.
The following documents include prior art which can be of some relevance for the present disclosure: EP2088613A1, EP2182542A1, US2012119086, EP2068343A1, EP2110843A1, US2012132802, US2012199758, WO 2007067310, WO08152132A2.